The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 138

Vers. 1-4.-A warlike expedition hindered. I. THE KING'S ARMY. 1. Whence collected. From Judah and Benjamin, or that porlion of the latter which adhered to Judah. 2. Its plar,e of rendezvous. Jerusalem, the metropolis of the southern king- dom. It was intended that the king's forces should proceed from the capital. 3. ThB numher of its force. A hundred and eighty thousand men-a contingent of the army of Judah. 4. The character of its soldiers. " Chosen men, which were warriors;" picked veterans, because of the importance and difficulty of the expedition upon which they were about to be despatched. 5. The work for which it was designed. " To fight against Israel "-against the ten or nine and a half northern tribes who had lately belonged to the same empire with them, and were still of the same race. 6. 'l'he tiltimate aim of the expedition. To reduce Israel to subjection. Politically viewed, it was not wrong to aim at the conquest of Israel; only Rehoboam would have done well had he sat down calmly and considered whether he was able, with the help of one or two tribes at most, to overcome ten, with a population vastly larger and equally inured to war with those acknowledging his sway (Luke xiv. 32). Religiously examined, it is not so certain Rehoboam was pursuing a legitimate aim, seeing that under him, no less than under his father, the unbroken empire had forsaken Jehovah and declined into idolatries, which declension, besides, was the primal cause of the disruption that had taken place. IL JEHOVAH'R INTERDICT. 1. Through whom conveyed. "Shemaiah the man of God." This prophet appears to have belonged to Judah (eh. xii. 15), and resided in Jerusalem; unlike Ahijah, whose home was in Ephraim (1 Kings xi. 29). 2. To wham delivered. "Rehoboam ... King of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Ben- jamin." The Divine message was no doubt spoken in the palace to the king and his princes, and through them published to the assembled warriors. 3. In what terms i,sued. (1) A prohibition: "Ye shall not go up" upon this expedition, "nor fight against your brethren ; (2) a command: "Return every man to his house ; " and (3) e. reason: "For this thing is done of me," saith the Lord. Thus to Rehoboam by She- maiah, as to Jeroboam through Ahijah, was the intimation given that the disruption of the kingdom ex.actly accorded with the Divine purpose. 4. How received. In sub- mission and with obedience. Whether this prompt compliance with Heaven's will was due, on the part of Rehoboam, his princes, and his army, to religion, humanity, or worldly policy, is not said by the Chronicler. 'l'hey may have felt it would be dangerous t,o figb.t against God; or been touched by the consideration that the Israelites were, en. :xt. 1-23.1 THE SECOND :1300K OF TIIE CHRONICLES. 189